Online Fitness & Health Advice

Category: Health

Do you know what’s in your whey powder?!?

HealthFitness Risk Management

Whey protein has for many years been the go-to protein shake for those wanting lean muscle mass. Whey has a full amino acid profile and is a complete source of protein providing recovery and repair to our muscles. When milk has been curdled and strained the remaining liquid is called whey. The liquid whey can then be processed to create whey concentrate, whey hydrolysate & whey isolate. Whey isolate is created by further processing whey concentrate to provide a supplement with a greater amount of bioavailable protein. There are thousands of whey protein powders on the market. Here’s a quick guide to choosing the best:

Choose Grass Fed : A 2012 study published in the Journal for Dairy Science showed that cows fed on high grain diets have higher incidences of metabolic disorders caused by build-up of toxic and inflammatory compounds. These metabolic disorders are treated with antibiotics. Also, the grain or corn used to feed cattle are mostly pesticide-laden andcontain animal and vegetable byproducts such as poultry feather pellets, animal fat, potato waste, soy cakes, poultry carcass, and meat processing waste.

Choose Organic: Whey proteins classified as organic do not contain any genetically modified organisms (GMO). There is still a raging debate on the pros and cons of GMO’s but who want’s to take part in a 21st Century experiment that could go wrong?

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5 Reasons Why You Should Not Have A Fear Of Laser Eye Surgery

HealthFitness Risk Management

It is perhaps understandable why many people have fears about getting laser eye surgery. For a start, our eyes are so precious, and we rely so much upon our vision that the thought that we could lose our sight is enough to stoke those fears, albeit the chances of it happening due to laser eye surgery are the same as being struck by lightning.

In addition, many people’s concept of lasers comes from movies such as Goldfinger. In one scene, James Bond is seconds from meeting an unfortunate end due to a laser beam employed by the evil Blofeld, which easily cuts through metal as it moves toward 007 at an alarming rate. When Bond asks if he expects him to talk, Blofeld utters the immortal words, “No, Mr Bond, I expect you to die”.

Rest assured, lasers used in laser eye surgery are not the same as those the bad guys in Bond movies use. Instead, they are precision lasers with beams just nanometres in diameter and operated with precision and skill. If that has not calmed your fears, here are 5 other reasons that should allay fears you have about laser eye surgery.

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How Much Exercise Do You Really Need?

Fitness, HealthFitness Risk Management

Everyone, no matter your age or gender, needs exercise. At some point, you may even realise that your fitness isn’t up to scratch and that you have to do something about it. But how much exercise do you really need? Is there a golden number or a guideline? Read on to find out.

Exercise for the Average Adult

The Department of Health and Human Services has a figure in mind when it comes to determining how much exercise you need. And that figure is 150 minutes. That is, of course, if you are doing moderate aerobic exercise. However, if you are taking part in vigorous aerobic exercises, then 75 minutes per week is enough to keep your fitness levels at a premium.

In saying that, you shouldn’t just pound the pavement for 150 minutes and call it a week. It’s important to spread that exercise out over the course of the week – even if you can only spare ten minutes here and there to work on your fitness. Some excellent options for those 150 minutes are running, dancing, swimming, walking, and even chores like lawn mowing and gardening.

Alongside aerobic activity, it’s also a good idea to squeeze in some strength training. Work on each of your major muscle groups at least twice per week. This can involve using a weight or resistance to tire out your muscles.

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Taking Care of Tennis Elbow

Exercise, Fitness, HealthFitness Risk Management

Taking Care of Tennis Elbow 

In recent years, more and more people are becoming aware that Botox is more than just a cosmetic injectable. It can also be useful for a variety of medical conditions, particularly relating to muscles. Let’s take, for example, someone suffering from tennis elbow. This condition can be debilitating, but could Botox be of assistance? Let’s find out.

What is Tennis Elbow?

Overuse of tendons and muscles in your forearm can result in a condition known as tennis elbow. It causes pain and swelling on the outside area of your elbow, alongside inflammation. Without treatment, this condition can get much, much worse.

Repetitive activity is one of the major causes of this condition. Your forearm muscles are placed under strain, and this causes your tendon fibres to strain at the point where they join from the bone to the outside of your elbow.

Contrary to popular belief that only tennis players get it, that’s not entirely true. Anyone in labour-intensive industries can be at risk, such as plumbers, painters, golfers, and carpenters, for example.

What are the Symptoms of Tennis Elbow?

The most common symptoms of tennis elbow are pain and a burning feeling around the elbow. This pain may radiate down your forearm, and your elbow might be painful to touch. If you grip, rotate, or even grasp your elbow, that may also cause pain. A physical examination from your doctor can offer a diagnosis.

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Your Diet and How It Affects Cataracts

HealthFitness Risk Management

Usually, cataract surgery is recommended to resolve clouding or blurring of the lens –– generally referred as cataracts, one of the main causes of visual impairment, particularly in older people.

Women are often more vulnerable to cataracts due to hormonal changes, but the most important way to avoid degenerative eye disorders such as cataracts is to get a balanced diet consisting of antioxidants.

Although science recommends a good diet for all kinds of health reasons, it has also made it perfectly obvious that a good diet will avoid cataracts. To avoid cataracts, increasing intake of foods high in antioxidants and B vitamins is the strongest protection.

You’ll probably also have to significantly decrease the consumption of low-quality carbs — sugary foods and drinks and processed white starches if you want to avoid having ultimately having to undergo cataract surgery. Let us look at antioxidants and some of the nutrient-rich foods that can help decrease the risk of cataracts, along with some of the foods to avoid.

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What’s the Difference Between Dermal Fillers and Botox?

HealthFitness Risk Management

Many of us don’t like the thought of getting older. It’s not so much the aging, as the side effects of getting older. That’s why many people look at Botox and dermal fillers as a way to combat some of those more common side effects – wrinkles.

But during your homework phase, you may come across mention of both Botox and dermal fillers. What’s the difference, and do you need one or the other to slow down the signs of aging? Read on to find out.

What is Botox?

Botox is a cosmetic injectable and muscle relaxer made from bacteria. For over two decades, it has been used to treat muscular conditions and neurological disorders that result in muscle weakness. It’s even useful for the treatment of migraines, overactive bladder, and vaginismus.

Its use in the cosmetic field is also widely known, for it can treat the wrinkles that form between your eyebrows and around your mouth and eyes. As you age, these wrinkles become more pronounced, and the job of Botox is to relax them and reduce their appearance.

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What to do when you have a cold

HealthFitness Risk Management

Sometimes no matter how hard you try to fight it you could end up with a cold this winter. Some over-the-counter pharmaceuticals may mask the symptoms of colds or flu, but don’t help your body to overcome the illness. Natural herbal supplements like Echinacea, Olive leaf or Elderberry may help to reduce the durations of colds whilst supporting your immunity at the same time.

Echinacea is native to North America and has been used by the American Indians for over 400 years. Research has shown that Echinacea can increase our white blood cell numbers which are the cells that help fight infection. Interestingly, Echinacea was used medicinally until the introduction of antibiotics in the 1950s. Several research studies have shown that taking Echinacea reduces the chance of catching the common cold by 58% and can reduce the length of colds by 1 ½ days.

Olive leaf has been used for healing for thousands of years and was first used by the Ancient Egyptians. The leaf, not the actual fruit, of the olive tree has been found to have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties with research showing that one of its active compounds called Oleuropein has strong antiviral, antibacterial and antifungal actions. It is these properties that may help to support our immune system by fighting against viruses which cause respiratory infections and flu.

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Avoid the Christmas Party Buffet Blow Out!

HealthFitness Risk Management

It’s another Christmas party & time to tackle the buffet which is covered in delectable & delicious treats which might be great for the taste buds but not so good for our bods. Here’s 6 ways to avoid buffet table blow out!

1. Plan ahead

Ok so it’s awesome for the boss to put on a freebie dinner but try not to think of it as an all you can eat restaurant! Eat a healthy nutritious snack BEFORE the party. Have a banana, grab some sushi or whizz up a protein smoothie. That way you will be fuller when you arrive & won’t be tempted to pig out when the pastries come by (BTW: pastries are high in saturated fats so try to avoid where possible)

2. Drink water

A sign of being dehydrated is hunger so make sure you drink a glass of water when you first arrive. If you are drinking alcohol alternate one drink with one glass of water to stay hydrated & avoid being the office party catastrophe. Better yet, swap your alcoholic drinks for sparkling water with ice & lemon. It looks just like a G & T but without the hangover.

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Adrenal fatigue – Do you have it?

HealthFitness Risk Management

Adrenal fatigue is a term thrown around (especially in health food) for various symptoms. It is commonly associated with feeling tired and stressed and not having enough energy to face the day. However, adrenal fatigue is a very real and debilitating syndrome. It is under recognised and under diagnosed and I wonder to what point we are all pushing past the ability of our poor little adrenal glands to keep up with modern life.

Considering the massive job they do, the adrenal glands are only little guys. They live on your kidneys and release hormones in response to any and all stress you experience. Cortisol, adrenaline and epinephrine are systematically released as needed to deal with anything from a broken nail to a job interview, a car accident or a breakup. These hormones allow your body to respond to stress itself, and also determine how you respond. But that’s not it; these workaholics also have an impact on weight gain and the body’s ability to shed excess weight as the secretion of stress hormones regulates sugar release in muscles and can determine the rate of your metabolism.

Adrenal fatigue commonly occurs after a prolonged period of stress (hello daily life) or an infection (hello winter and pre-school children). It’s important to note that although adrenals are related, chronic fatigue syndrome differs to adrenal fatigue as it is more serious with severe unexplained fatigue for 6 months or more.

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